Join us on this unforgettable African wildlife experience
Africa has long held a fascination for us. Having spent several years working in tour guiding and living in Africa, we now want to share our best travel experiences in Africa with you. We have developed this tour using our intimate knowledge of Africa, and our network of contacts. Personally escorting your group, we take you into the wide-open savannahs of Tanzania, where these timeless landscapes echo to the calls of the Big Five and the spectacle of the Great Migration.
This remarkable trip will take us across some of the most beautiful and emotive landscapes on the African continent. Travelling through Tanzania, we go in search of migrating herds of wildebeest and zebra, as well as lions, leopards, giraffe, elephants, and a wide array of African animals. We visit people whose lives and traditions have withstood the test of time, imperialism and conflict. We stay in accommodations boasting a high level of comfort and picture-perfect locations.
*** The itinerary and price displayed are indicative only and may be adjusted for your own private group desires. Please contact us to discover the possibilities.
Starting in Arusha, Tanzania, we journey to the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara National Park and its abundance of lakeshore-dwelling animals and perhaps some tree-climbing lions! We visit the proudly traditional Maasai people of the region before heading to the great plains to view the migration of millions of animals in the Serengeti National Park. Heading back to Ngorongoro Crater we drive into the depths of an ancient extinct volcano to view more wildlife wonders before finishing back in Arusha.
To organise a private group for this once-in-a-lifetime trip please fill out the contact form as soon as possible or email jeff@exceptionaljourneys.international
Possible Tour Dates: CONTACT US as early as possible to select an appropriate date for your group
PRICE
Indicative price twin share: from US$ 3,995 per person*
*Based on the inclusions and accommodation listed and 12 people travelling. Prices will vary depending on the season, number of travellers, accommodation type, and inclusions selected
Single travellers: If a single traveller does not wish to share, the additional single supplement price below applies in order to be booked in a single room.
Single supplement: additional US$ 520* for a single room
Proposed itinerary***:
This is an indicative itinerary only. The tour duration, itinerary, and inclusions may be adjusted according to your group’s wishes.
- Duration: 7 Days 6 Nights
- Start: Arusha, Tanzania
- Finish: Arusha, Tanzania
- Maximum Group Size: 12 people + Escorts
- Fitness Level: Easy – some short walking on stony ground. Extended time in 4×4 vehicles on rough roads and tracks
- Tour Escorts: Jeff and Kat
Inclusions:
- All Accommodation: 6 nights
- Transport: private 4×4 safari vehicle with local crew
- Meals: (As per daily itinerary) Breakfasts 6 – Lunches 5 – Dinners 4
- Activities and Entrances: Game drives, Lake Manyara National Park, Maasai Village experience, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Reserve
What’s not included:
- International flights to and from Arusha.
- Meals or snacks not mentioned on daily itinerary.
- Transfers from Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport to starting hotel
- Transfer from finishing hotel to Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport
- Visas Tanzania: Visas will always depend on nationality See Important Notes
- Travel Insurance: travel insurance is mandatory. We recommend
- Tips: Tips for drivers and local guides are optional but guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents (Tips suggested: Driver guide $8-$10 per person sharing the vehicle per day
- Beverages
- Any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
- Optional activities.
Day 1: Tour starts in Arusha, Tanzania
Welcome to Tanzania. After being met from your flight we will accompany you to your starting point accommodation. Depending on arrival times, you can choose to relax in the hotel or a visit to local attractions can be arranged such as: visit the Boma History Museum, check out the Maasai market, brush up on your Swahili at the Central Market (Soko Kuu), or head out of town to Lake Diluti for a nature walk.
A welcome drink and briefing for all group members can be held at our starting point hotel prior to dinner or before departing tomorrow morning depending on arrival times.
Overnight Accommodation: Katambuga House, Arusha
Meals Included: None, however a welcome drink is included.
Day 2: Arusha / Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast we join our safari vehicles and depart from Arusha in the morning, driving towards Lake Manyara National Park, located at the base of the Rift Valley. We enjoy a picnic lunch on the way and enjoy our first game drives of the tour in this diverse park. Keeping a lookout for the famous tree-climbing lions of Manyara, we search the park for our first encounters with African wildlife. After honing our spotting and photography skills we leave the park by late afternoon and make our way to Isoitok Camp Manyara. After our arrival, we can stretch our legs on a walk up to the viewpoint where we enjoy sundowner drinks followed by dinner before our first overnight in a true African tented camp, located near a Maasai community.
Overnight Accommodation – Isoitok Tented Camp Manyara
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Lake Manyara – Serengeti National Park
This morning we start the day early, with a hot drink on the veranda of your tent, before a short walk takes us to the neighbouring Maasai village, or boma, for an inside view of the Maasai culture and way of living. Our Maasai guide will give us an insight into the lives of the Maasai, their traditions, beliefs and rituals.
Returning to the camp for a hearty breakfast, we then board the vehicles again and start the journey up the edge of the Rift Valley and across spectacular volcanic highlands towards the Serengeti.
The ‘Endless Plains’ of the Serengeti span some 14,700 square kilometres and are home to 3 million or so animals. Massive numbers of grazing animals and various predators can be seen – wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, lion, cheetah, warthog, hyena, hippo and ostrich – and the interaction between the many species often provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the world. Once entering the Serengeti National Park we spend the afternoon on game drives en route to Matawi Camp, our safari-tented accommodation located in central Serengeti.
Overnight Accommodation Matawi Serengeti Tented Camp (1 of 2 nights)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Serengeti National Park
This morning we set off at around sunrise for a morning game drive as the animals tend to be more active in the cooler hours of the day. We may return to camp during the hotter hours in the middle of the day, where you will enjoy a hearty meal, relax and maybe take a siesta. Or, depending on wildlife movements and opportunities for sightings, the drive may continue through lunch with packed lunches and last all day. In this case, you will return to the camp in the late afternoon after an afternoon game drive. We spend the day exploring many different areas of the park, our highly experienced guides will work out the best places to visit depending on the movement of animals and sightings.
Overnight Accommodation Matawi Serengeti Tented Camp (2 of 2 nights)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activity: There’s also the option of a hot air balloon ride over the park today. If you have pre-booked this activity you will be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site. After a safety briefing, you will glide through the dawn, sometimes at tree height, which provides amazing photo opportunities. Sometimes you will ascend, getting an overview of the enormity of the plains and the early morning movements of the teeming herds. After landing, you’ll be treated to a five-star bush breakfast, and then be returned to your camp.
Day 5: Serengeti NP to Karatu.
A final dawn game drive of the Serengeti starts the day today before we return to the camp for breakfast. We pack our bags and then slowly start the drive towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with game drives as we head towards the park exit and the Karatu Highlands. Ngorongoro is a World Heritage site, the highlight of which is the Ngorongoro Crater, a gigantic volcanic caldera that we visit tomorrow in search of the Big Five on a spectacular final game drive.
We check in to our lodge style accommodation in a lush and quiet oasis in the small town of Karatu.
Accommodation. Endoro Lodge, Karatu
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha
After breakfast we depart for a full day of game drives of the famous Ngorongoro Crater. We take a short stop at the viewpoint before we take in the spectacular scenery as we descend almost 600 metres down to the crater floor and on to our final game drives spotting animals roaming across the lakes, rivers, woodlands and hills within the crater.
Widely regarded as a veritable Garden of Eden, the ash from an ancient collapsed volcano created a diverse set of ecosystems within a compact area, including riverine forests, open plains, freshwater and alkaline lakes. We are assured of seeing a considerable variety and large numbers of wildlife within the crater, including some or all of the ‘big five’ creatures that reside here. Animals here tend to be less shy of people and safari vehicles, so it’s easier to see and photograph them up close. It is a great opportunity to get your own iconic photos of African wildlife and landscapes you may have missed on previous days.
The vast number of large mammals residing in the park include the elusive Black Rhino, large prides of lion, massive bull elephants with huge tusks, wildebeest, zebra, eland, bushbuck, cheetah, jackal, buffalo, Grant’s gazelle and Thompson’s gazelle.
Photo – © Jeff Barnard
The Masai are permitted to water their cattle at the permanent lake and can often be seen leading their animals in and out of the crater. After enjoying a picnic lunch within the crater and more game driving, we then slowly start making our way out of the crater by a different route to the one we took into the crater, before returning back to Arusha for our final night at our beautiful Lodge.
We enjoy a group dinner to celebrate this trip and say farewell to your new friends.
Accommodation. Katambuga House Arusha
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Tour ends Arusha
Our adventure together comes to an end after breakfast today.
Meals included: Breakfast
For further inspiration read about some of Jeff’s adventures in Tanzania and other African adventures here.
Perhaps you may want further adventures in East Africa. Ask us about making arrangements for more adventures in Tanzania, such as climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, exploring more national parks, or relaxing on Zanzibar Island, to name just a few.
If this looks like an Exceptional Journey for you and your group we can create a bespoke private tour just for you, CONTACT US HERE or email jeff@exceptionaljourneys.international immediately to start planning as accommodation may be difficult to secure in the most popular seasons.
